Home Is Where the Heart Is (Welcome To Redemption) (9 page)

Lindy smiled with genuine pleasure, liking the spunky woman immediately. Bernie didn’t look anything like she’d imagined. Somehow she’d pictured a blonde with a beehive hairdo and big glasses.

“It’s nice to meet you, too. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was arriving early. It was sort of a last minute decision.”

Her worries were quickly waved away. “Please, no problem at all. So, what are your plans for today? Want me to start setting up interviews?”

“I’d be grateful if you did, thank you. But first I need to hire you a couple of assistants, so set those up first.”

Bernie grinned. “Much appreciated.”

“I’m about to go meet with the plant manager, then I have some running around to do. Any chance we can meet for dinner tonight? My treat.”

“I’d love that, though you don’t have to buy. Nino’s has wonderful pizza and pasta. And their cannoli is the best you’ll ever taste.”

Lindy almost laughed aloud. These Mayberrians sure did love Italian food. You’d think Nino’s was the only restaurant in town. “Sounds good. Seven o’clock work for you? We can meet there. And I’m buying; no arguments.”

Bernie’s smile was appreciative. “Thanks. And FYI, Andy hasn’t come out of his office since I arrived almost two hours ago.”

“Andy?”

“Your plant manager.”

“Oh.” Lindy grimaced sheepishly. “Guess I should’ve known that.”

Bernie did a one-shoulder shrug. “You have a lot on your mind. I’m going to start setting up those interviews for you. If I don’t catch you before you leave, see you tonight.”

“Looking forward to it.”

The vivacious brunette turned and strode purposefully back into her office. Lindy made a quick stop in the restroom on the way, strangely anxious to meet...Andy. Geez, she still couldn’t believe she’d forgotten to ask the guy’s name.

The door to his office stood slightly ajar. Lindy grasped the knob just as a string of loud curses rent the air. Something struck the door with such force it slammed shut, startling her. The distinct crunch of shattering glass was quickly followed by the pungent smell of...booze?

Lindy leaned off to the side before throwing the door open. Getting beaned in the head with something wasn’t exactly high on her priority list. She took a cautious peek inside, her gaze zeroing in on the middle-aged man leaning over the desk, palms braced, chest heaving. He looked up suddenly, brow raised as if startled to see her.

“What the
hell
is going on in here?” she demanded, nose wrinkled in disgust. She stepped gingerly around the broken glass, not wanting to slip in her high heels. This was Matt’s brilliant plant manager? A stinking drunk?

“Who are you? Get the hell out of my office!”

Infuriated, Lindy didn’t even ask for an explanation. “No,
you
get out. You’re fired, effective immediately.”

When he simply stood there, gaping at her in bleary-eyed silence, Lindy added, “Please don’t make me call the police to escort you out of here, because if I have to, I will. Just grab your personal items and leave.”

Realization dawned on who had witnessed his drunken meltdown; remorse flared in his red-rimmed blue eyes. “I’m sorry...I know how this looks, but...”

His face crumbled as he tried to explain, his demeanor having done a complete one-eighty. But Lindy didn’t need to hear his excuses. What did it matter anyway? No way could she keep him in their employ after what she’d witnessed. She couldn’t think of a bigger no-no, as far as Spalding Industries was concerned, than drinking on the job. Luckily for Andy it hadn’t been her father who’d walked in on his little tantrum; he’d have called the police immediately and asked questions later.

“I can call you a cab if you need one, but that’s the limit of my patience.” Lindy glanced down at the broken glass and shook her head with regret. She met Andy’s gaze, reluctant to have to explain things to Matt. He’d really been proud of this hire.

Andy straightened and dug into his front pocket. “I have my car.”

“I don’t think you’re in any condition to drive.”

Belligerence bubbled back to the surface and a scowl darkened his otherwise handsome face. Andy must have been at least in his fifties considering he’d ran the plant all those years ago, though he didn’t look a day over forty. “`Course I can drive! I only had a few—” he hiccupped “—mouthfuls.”

Lindy was doubtful of his ability to drive, and she certainly wasn’t going to let him risk hurting himself or someone else. “Either I call you a cab or I’ll call the police to escort you home. Your choice.”

He eyed her with utter contempt. Not that Lindy didn’t understand his anger, but once he sobered up he’d realize he had no one to blame but himself and his disgraceful behavior.

“I’ll call my son.”

She nodded and eyed the broken glass one last time. “I’ll make sure your last paycheck is sent directly to your home.” With that, Lindy shut the door behind her and stormed from the building.

* * *

“You what?” Matt looked up in surprise.

“I fired him.”

“You fired him?”

“Yes, I fired him. I found the man drinking on the job.”

“He was drinking?”

Lindy rolled her eyes. “Good Lord, Matt, are you going to repeat everything I say?”

Matt swiped his fingers through his hair and gave a cautious look around before leading Lindy to the table in the corner near some book shelves. “I’m sorry, it’s just...are you sure you didn’t misinterpret things? You do have a habit of jumping to conclusions.”

Lindy slapped her purse on the table and dropped onto a chair. “I do not. And no, I didn’t jump to anything. I was about to enter the office when he threw a bottle against the door. The odor was unmistakable, but yes, I checked the label just to be sure. Whiskey. I didn’t misinterpret shit—your wonderful plant manager was drinking on the job. I did what I had to do, Matt. Exactly what you or dad would have done under the circumstances.”

“Damn.” He blew out a hard breath. “Did he at least try to explain himself?”

She shrugged. “He was clearly angry about something, not that it mattered. He was lit up like a Christmas tree and smashed a bottle against the door. If I’d walked in a second earlier, I’d be at the hospital right now getting stitches in my head. Which reminds me, I need to call Bernie and have maintenance—”

“There has to be some kind of reason for his behavior. His work record is impeccable. He ran the old plant like a well-oiled machine for over twenty years. Started when he was just out of high school, and worked his way up to operational manager by the time he was twenty eight.”

“You seem to know a lot about this guy. It’s almost as if you know him personally, like he’s a friend or—”

“He’s Drew’s father.”

Chapter 9

“All right, Pop, you wanna tell me what’s going on?”

Andrew Porter Sr. climbed hesitantly into the passenger side of Drew’s pickup and leaned his head back, closing his eyes as if to shut out the world. Drew knew something major had to have happened for his father to have gotten himself fired.

He put the truck in park and waited for his old man to speak. When he didn’t, Drew said, “Look, whatever it is, we can fix it. Lindy can be a little...intense at first. But once you get to know—”

“I opened that bottle of bourbon Kurt gave me for Christmas and drank...quite a bit of it. That’s how Miss Spalding found me.”

Drew was quiet for a moment as he processed that bit of info. His father wasn’t much of a drinker, never had been. A couple of beers during a ball game or when bowling with the guys, but that was about it. “Why? Pop, what happened?”

Andy swiveled his head and met Drew’s gaze. The misery Drew saw nearly took his breath. “Son, I have something to tell you. I...Jesus, I have no idea how to say the words.”

Scared, Drew murmured, “Just say it. What the hell’s going on?”

“It’s your mother. She...Drew, I’m so sorry. Yesterday...your mother took her own life.”

The hairs on the back of Drew’s neck stood up as his father’s words sank in. He struggled to suck air into his lungs as gut-wrenching sorrow filled his chest, stealing his breath. The text he’d received last night had been from Hannah reminding him of their mother’s birthday, wanting to know if he’d remembered to send roses to the hospital, as they did every year.

He hadn’t.

Christ, Hannah. She was going to take this so hard.

“But...when? How? I thought she was doing so much better since they’d started her on that new pill...?”

His father swiped a hand across his face; a sob escaped him. Drew pulled him into a bear hug and, surprisingly, the old man let him. Drew knew this was killing him. He’d never stopped loving her, never stopped hoping she’d be well enough to come home someday.

Andy gave Drew a pat on the back to let him know he was okay. He cleared his throat, wiped his eyes on his sleeve, and settled back against the headrest. “The new medicine seemed to be working. Your mother was happy; she was alert. She knew who I was when I called. But I guess the last few days she started cheeking her meds, tossing ’em in the trash. The doctor had no idea why, though that quack wouldn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground.”

Drew nodded in agreement, though he knew it wasn’t the doctor’s fault.

“Anyway, she managed to steal a bottle of something called Cyclobenz-something or other. Muscle relaxers. She swallowed the whole goddamned bottle, then hid in the closet. By the time the orderlies found her, it was too late.”

Tears burned Drew’s eyes. He’d loved his mother, but he’d also spent most of his life resenting her. She’d never been there for him growing up, or Hannah. And when she was there, she’d barely spared her kids a thought. If she wasn’t sleeping off a bender, she was verbally abusing Drew and completely ignoring Hannah, her impressionable young daughter. Drew had known about her mental illness, but as a child, he hadn’t understood it. Now, he just wished...well, he wished he could go back in time and make a few changes. For one, he wished he’d have visited her more often, called her more often.

“I’m really sorry, Pop.”

“Me, too, kid. Your mother’s been institutionalized for years, but I never lost hope. Until today.” He let out a deep sigh and gave his eyes one last rub. “We’d best go tell Hannah.”

* * *

Lindy stared at Matt in stunned silence, struggling to process the bitter irony of his pronouncement. “Drew’s father?” she murmured, more to herself than to Matt. When the words finely sunk in, she demanded, “Why the hell didn’t you tell me? My God, Matt, I just fired Drew’s father!”

“No shit, Sherlock, isn’t that what I said?”

Lindy leaned back in one of
Coffee To Chai For
’s new padded chairs and closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. She had no idea how she was supposed to feel about this bit of news. As angry as she was with Drew, as hurt as she might have been by his actions, she felt terrible with the knowledge she’d just put his father out of work. But what else could she have done under the circumstances? Nothing. She’d done exactly what anyone in her position would have done.

But would Drew understand? Or would he accuse her of firing his father to get back at him? She blew out a heartfelt sigh. “Well, there’s nothing that can be done now. I was more than justified in firing him. Drew...well, if he doesn’t understand, I’m sorry. I was simply doing my job.”

“You can hire him back.”

She gave her head a negative shake. “No, I can’t.”

“You’re as stubborn as Dad, you know that?” Matt shook his head as he opened a bundle of magazines and fanned them out on one of the new book racks.

“Matt, I’m sorry, but you know I can’t do that. If I’d been someone else, Bernie, or one of the other workers, we could be facing a huge lawsuit right now.”

Matt was silent while he processed the truth of her words, frustration etching his brow. Whether he liked it or not—whether she liked it or not—she’d done what she had to do. What dad would have expected her to do.

“I truly am sorry.”

His gaze softened. “I know. I just worry about the ramifications. You’re not exactly the easiest person to…get to know, and—”

“You were going to say ‘like’.”

“—I’m afraid because most people haven’t gotten a chance to know you, they may snub you over firing Drew’s dad.”

Lindy had never much cared what people thought of her. Most made snap judgments because of the way she looked and the ridiculous stories they wrote about her in the tabloids, comparing her to another high profile blonde heiress who truly seemed to enjoy the attention of the paparazzi. So Lindy had learned it was simpler to play up the snob persona and let everyone think what they wanted, than put herself out there and risk heartache and rejection.

However, the people of Redemption had welcomed Matt into their small town with open arms. And because there was no one on earth she cared about more than her big brother, Lindy knew she had to make an effort. Put herself out there and allow these people to get to know the real Lindy, not the rich bitch tabloid sensation most were used to seeing.

“What if I were to throw a party?”